The present invention relates generally to missile launcher systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-purpose missile launcher system for a military land vehicle that is preferably a modular system that mates with a modular bed of the military land vehicle.
The use of weapon systems in connection with military land vehicles is well known. The tank is perhaps the most familiar of such vehicles, although smaller weapon systems such as machine guns, as well as mortar and artillery also have been adapted for use with a variety of military land vehicles often referred to as light armored vehicles.
The most common way of integrating a smaller weapon system onto a military land vehicle is to use a rotatable turret arrangement such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,685. The type of turret arrangement is the most flexible for targeting shorter range land based targets. Various ways in which a single larger gun or rocket system can be integrated with a military land vehicle are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,129,308 and 6,000,313. These types of arrangements are better suited for long range or air-based targets. U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,635 describes a multi-purpose munition carrier that can incorporate a single larger gun or rocket system and also features two detachable personnel capsules mounted in a pod-like arrangement on extensible arms of the tracked vehicle.
Until recently, the use of rocket and missile systems as a land-based weapon has been primarily limited to larger single rocket arrangements. Designs for the use of multiple rocket launching systems on ships have been known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,063,485 and 4,305,325 describe multiple decoy launcher systems for use with a ship that are fixed and positionable, respectively. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,106,132 and 3,865,009 describe dual rotatable multiple rocket launcher systems also for use with a ship. U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,640 describes a multiple rocket launcher system for use with a ship that includes both fixed and positionable rocket launchers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,307 describes a pair of side-mounted rocket launcher systems that track simultaneously with an integrated naval gun. U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,412 also describes a pair of side-mounted rotatable rocket launcher systems that are integrated with a rocket magazine conveyer system on a ship.
Generally, the designs of multiple rocket launcher systems for ships are not well suited for use in connection with military land vehicles because of the significant differences in size, configuration and operation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,214 describes a plurality of projectile tubes that are mounted as part of a magazine block arrangement in a fixed orientation on a plate on the side of a tank, for example, as a defensive mechanism. Once the projectiles in a given magazine block have been fired, the magazine block is released by an operator from the plate and a new magazine block can be manually inserted into the plate. While this type of arrangement is adequate for smaller, shorter-range projectiles, it is not adequate for medium and larger size rocket launcher systems.
In recent years, there have been significant changes in the way in which military operations are conducted. Increasingly, the emphasis is on making ground-based military equipment lighter and more mobile so that the equipment can be easily transported to a desired location. Another emphasis has focused on designing military equipment to be more modular and make use of common components so as to decrease costs while increasing both flexibility and maintainability of the equipment. One example of this trend is the GTK European modular military vehicle which consists of an eight wheel driving module and a separable and detachable mission module that rides in a modular bed at the rear of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,961 describes a combat land vehicle with a rocket launcher that is separable for purposes of loading both components into an aircraft. The rocket launcher assembly includes a collar that rotates the rocket launcher in a horizontal orientation and an intermediate structure that raises and lowers the open end of the rocket launcher to adjust the elevation at which the rockets can be fired. While this arrangement allows multiple rocket launchers for medium and larger size rockets to be incorporated as part of a land military vehicle, the arrangement does not allow for a weapon system that can effectively target both short and medium range land targets, as well as launching rockets against longer-range land targets or air targets.
It would be desirable to provide a multi-purpose missile launcher system for a military land vehicle that can be deployed as part of a modular weapon system that mates with a modular bed of the military land vehicle and that has the capability of effectively targeting both short and medium range land targets, as well launching missiles against longer-range land targets or air targets.
The present invention is a multi-purpose missile launcher system for a military land vehicle that has the capability for direct targeting both short and medium range land targets, as well as launching missiles against longer-range land targets or air targets using indirect targeting. Preferably, the multi-purpose missile launcher system is deployed as part of a modular weapon system that mates with a modular bed of the military land vehicle.
A base structure is configured to operably and detachably mate with the modular bed of the military land vehicle. A first multiple missile system is operably attached to the base structure and selectively positionable in both vertical and horizontal orientations and selectively movable to multiple heights relative to the base structure for direct targeting of the first multiple missile system against short and medium range land targets. A second multiple missile system is also operably attached to the base structure, but in a fixed and generally vertical orientation for indirect targeting against long range land targets or against air targets. In the preferred embodiment, the first missile system includes at least a pair of independently positionable multiple missile modules carried in a retracted position during transport and selectively movable to an extended position for firing.
For purposes of the present invention, direct targeting will refer to the ability to position a missile system in an orientation in which the missile will be fired at a land based target generally along a line-of-sight target acquisition. Indirect targeting, on the other hand, will refer to the launching of a missile system at an altitude of greater than 45xc2x0 against a land target or launching a missile system against an air target.